The invention relates to a limited stretch cord for a fruit picking bucket, basket, bag or similar produce harvesting receptacle, and more particularly to a support cord having a limited elastic range for use in retaining the bottom opening of such a produce picking receptacle.
The conventional produce harvesting receptacle, commonly called a fruit picker""s bucket or bag, which is a substantially tubular bucket or bag with a top opening and a bottom opening. Typically, a pair of supportive ropes, cords, chains or wires are permanently attached to the tubular bag at the bottom opening. These two ropes removably attach to the tubular bag proximate to the top opening to close off the bottom opening.
Examples of fruit picking receptacles include U.S. Pat. Nos. 517,786; 719,810; 760,048; 1,097,374; 1,994,362; and 4,925,071. A common problem with these prior fruit picking bags and buckets is that they fail to solve the problem of volume versus drop distance. Specifically, when the fruit is first placed into the bucket or bag, the fruit must be let go by the picker and so the fruit falls to the bottom of the bag. Subsequent fruit impacts upon the first fruit placed into the bag and bruising occurs. If the bag or bucket is reduced in size, then the picker must remove the contents of the bag or xe2x80x9cdumpxe2x80x9d it at more frequent intervals, which takes time away from picking. Adjustable bag systems, with incremental size adjustments to the receptacle made possible by knots or slots in the adjustment straps is taught by the early U.S. Pat. No. 719,810 to Jones. However, adjusting the size of the picking bag, especially when it is partially filled with fruit, takes time and can result in the unwanted release of fruit from the bottom of the bag.
A produce picking receptacle is needed that somehow increases in volume as more fruit is received into it. Thereby reducing damage and bruising to the fruit, and making it unnecessary for the picker to make such needed adjustments manually.
The present invention provides an improvement in the bottom support cords utilized with a conventional produce harvesting receptacle, such as a fruit picking bucket or bag.
These conventional receptacles are often used in the harvesting of tree fruit, such as apples, pears, and peaches. For the purposes of the present invention, the produce harvesting receptacle is typically configured with a substantially tubular bag. The bag has a top opening and a bottom opening. A first support rope and a second support rope are permanently attached to the tubular bag at the bottom opening and removably attachable to the tubular bag proximate to the top opening. The first support rope attaches near the top opening at a first cord receiver and the second support rope attaches near the top opening at a second top cord receiver. The tubular bag is upwardly xe2x80x9cfoldable,xe2x80x9d proximate to the bottom opening. This fold helps retain a quantity of a produce product within the tubular bag. With the first support rope is received into the first top cord receiver and the second support rope received into the second top cord receiver, the tubular bag is kept folded. With both the first support rope removed from the first top cord receiver and the second support rope removed from the second top cord receiver, the bottom opening of the tubular bag is downwardly xe2x80x9cunfoldablexe2x80x9d to dump the produce product from the bottom opening.
The improvement provided by the present invention is in the unique construction and functional properties of a support cord that extends to increase the holding capacity of the produce picking receptacle automatically. Produce, which is typically a tree fruit, that is initially placed into the tubular bag does not drop to the deep bottom of the fully extended bag, but instead only to the bottom of the retracted bag, thereby preventing bruising of the fruit.
The improved stretch cord of the present invention allows the bag to extend with the weight of the fruit as it is placed into the bag. The stretch cord has a tubular outer sheath that can stretch to approximately double its length. Interior to the tube, a non-stretchable cord is also included. The non-stretchable cord limits the stretching of the outer tube to a specific and preset length, to prevent fruit from spilling out of the bottom of the bag, and also to prevent over-stretching or breaking of the outer tube. Both ends of the limited stretch cord are knotted to lock in the inner xe2x80x9cstopxe2x80x9d chord, and to attach the stretch cord to a bottom eyelet and to removably catch into a top hook of the bag.
Specifically, the first support cord and the second support cord stretch to extend the length of the tubular bag in response to the quantity of the produce product received into the produce picking receptacle. The first support cord and the second support cord have a limited stretch or extension. This limited extension prevents the produce product from escaping out of the bottom opening of the tubular bag when the first support cord is received within the first top cord receiver and the second support cord is received within the second top cord receiver.
The first support cord and the second support cord both have an inner stop cord within an outer sheath. The inner stop cord has a fixed length, and is substantially inelastic. The outer sheath has a hollow core and is substantially elastic and tubular. The outer sheath is stretchable from a relaxed length to a stretched length. The inner cord is received within the hollow core of the outer sheath. The fixed length of the inner stop cord is approximately equal to the partially stretched length of the outer sheath. The limited stretch cord extends the length of the receptacle as a quantity of fruit is placed into the receptacle.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.